Second only to the Ark of the Covenant, the four-horned altar ranks as the most important ritual tool in ancient Israelite practice. While the God of Israel communicated his presence and law through the Ark and the tablets contained within it, the Israelites communicated their ritual commitment to God and his law through sacrifices on the altar.

This is the second half of Hebrew 1, which covers the following:

• Introduces the command and infinitive verb forms
• Begins to cover the remaining Hebrew verb patterns
• Increased focus on reading more complex Prayerbook and Biblical texts
• Continues to explore aspects of the Hebrew Bible and its world

Covering the last chapters of Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way, this class continues the exploration of Hebrew grammar and builds a stronger vocabulary using a text provided by instructor.

This course starts from the beginning and covers the following:

• Completes instructor text on the verb patterns and irregular verbs
• Covers three or more passages from The First Hebrew Reader
• Introduces the art and science of Biblical text translation and analysis
• Continues to explore aspects of the Hebrew Bible and its world

Required text: Jessica W. Goldstein, The First Hebrew Reader (J. Goldstein, EKS Publishing, 2000). Separate Instructor text and other materials provided free of charge

In our fall semester, our class explored the tragic last days of the Kingdom of Judah in 586 BCE and its aftermath in texts from II Kings and Lamentations. To close the academic year, we’ll celebrate the restoration of the Jewish people promised in Isaiah 40-41. This text most likely dates to the 540’s BCE when the hated Babylonian Empire was about to fall to the Persians and Cyrus the Great. Exiled Judeans embraced the hope that soon, God would redeem them and return them home. In doing so, the writer jubilantly expresses the power of God in brilliant verses that confirm that the Jewish faith of the future would acknowledge only one God.

Many scholars regard King Josiah of Judah (ca. 640-609 BCE) as the founder of a strict one-G-d religion for his kingdom which previously worshipped YHWH but also allowed for other deities. His revolution was both consequential and violent, and paved the way for one of the key precepts of Judaism: monotheism.

This eight-session course covers all the basics found in our Fall Hebrew 1 class in just four weeks. You’ll begin to learn to read, understand and appreciate Prayerbook passages, and lay the foundation for study of the Hebrew Bible. We start at the beginning, teaching the alphabet and sight-reading skills, then move on to build both vocabulary and grammar knowledge using the text Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way. And along the way, you’ll learn about related topics, from key Prayerbook melodies to the origins of Hebrew to life in the Biblical world.

In partnership with the Jewish Community Library

The second semester of a three-semester sequence, this course is designed for those who have completed New Lehrhaus Hebrew 1 and have a working Hebrew vocabulary of 75-100 words and are familiar with the grammar of nouns, adjectives, possessive endings and simple participles. It’s also a great choice for students with basic sight-reading skills who need a